


Two Bits

by oleanderedits



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, post 5x07, season 5 canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 10:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17938166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oleanderedits/pseuds/oleanderedits
Summary: Ed receives an unexpected haircut.





	Two Bits

After drawing up the plans at his library and bringing them to City Hall, the two went over the materials needed and what Oswald already had in stock at his munitions factory. Then they discussed how many outside workers would, realistically, need to be involved to complete the project in a timely manner, how much time that 'timely manner' would be, and what resources they'd have to secure to make sure they met that deadline. Deadline being more literal than not with Barbara involved.

Settling all that and setting it up to begin in earnest took a few days. Oswald had to corral his workers while Ed drafted plans for them to follow that wouldn't make their end product obvious on an individual level. That, of course, meant giving Ed space. Which he took back at his library.

Days turned to weeks as new parts were made, delivered, tested, and determined to need tweaking. Tweaking required new plans to be drafted. New plans meant long hours at a desk doing math, drawing, and double checking everything.

Oswald came over as often as he could to 'check up' on the progress. He also did it to make sure Ed was eating properly, which could sometimes be an issue when he got into his work. One such day, as Ed brushed his hair out of his eyes for what had to be the thirtieth time in under twenty minutes, Oswald finally got fed up with the situation.

He stood up, found some scissors, and walked up behind his... friend. They were friends again. For the moment. Until Ed decided otherwise.

He didn't intend to do more than tame the mess that Ed had allowed his hair to become. If it was like this, then Ed probably didn't mind it and he was never one to dictate how others chose to present themselves. But a trim would help.

He started in the back and moved forward from there, using his fingers to section off the hair very carefully and pull it out just to get the ends even. As he worked, he realized that at some point Ed had gone still. Had noticed what he was doing. Oswald kept working, moving around the side, trying to keep his attention on the hair and not the deer-in-headlights look Ed had on his face, betraying an internal panic and distrust of him.

It pained Oswald to see it, even though he knew it would probably always be there. But despite this, Ed didn't try to pull away or stop him. Didn't say anything. He sat there while Oswald worked. Let him reach over and tilt his head up by the chin ever so gently. He gulped visibly and shut his eyes while Oswald made sense of his bangs, then brushed them back over the top of his head. Out of his eyes. A bit of hair gel, because Oswald had taken to carrying some on him just in case since there was so little of it on easy supply, was brushed through the strands to keep it in place.

When he was done, he set the scissors down in clear view of Ed and brushed the fallen hair off of his clothes and the desk.

Oswald forced a smile, "There. Done. It shouldn't get into your eyes now."

He waited for Ed to do something before he turned away and went over some other part of the project. All he got was another gulp and a tilt of the head in his direction as Ed picked up his pencil and draft compass and got back to work.

It wasn't much, but it was something like a new beginning. A show of trust... well, a show of wanting to trust, at least.


End file.
